The present invention relates to a seating apparatus aimed primarily at musicians and others that are required to sit for extended periods of time while exerting themselves. In particular, the present invention provides a seating apparatus that provides the ability to set and adjust the firmness of the seat, as well as a means to allow for increased airflow through the seat.
Any professional relies on tools to perfect their trade. Certainly musicians are among the most visible in the use of their tools. The most evident tools are the instruments they play. There are, however, many tools used by musicians that go largely unnoticed and, therefore, remain largely untouched by innovation.
One such tool is the focus of this invention, namely the seat used by drummers and other performers during their performance. Commonly referred to as a “throne” by drummers and percussionists to denote its prominence, the seat is an integral part of a tool kit that is largely ignored by anyone but the user.
The seat or throne, whether the traditional fabric or vinyl covered foam or the adjustable type as described herein, is critical to the user's ability to perform. Not only does the throne provide a place to sit, but, particularly in the case of a drummer, its position is key to the ability of a drummer to perform as he has practiced. That is, if a drummer were to sit on any chair or stool that did not provide the correct position he may have to struggle mightily to perform as expected.
Because performer seating is not well appreciated, there has been little innovation in the art, particularly in seating available for a drummer. For simplicity, the description of the invention herein will focus on example embodiments particularly suited for seating for a drummer. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is applicable to virtually any seating application, whether for a performer or others.
For a drummer's seat, there are two basic prior art models available today: (1) a simple round, padded stool seat and; (2) a padded stool seat that resembles an old-fashioned motorcycle seat. Still other performers rely on rectangular benches. The only variations in these models, aside from the firmness of the foam padding, is the design of the base. Such bases range from more traditional collapsible hardware type bases to those similar to common desk chairs. While the choice of the base is largely made at the time of purchase, based on specific requirements, adjustability is the primary variable in the base.
Unfortunately, a choice of the seat firmness also must be made at the time of purchase. There is no ability to accommodating necessary changes in seat firmness without the procurement of another seat. Such changes might be required by different performers using the same kit, as in the case of a bandstand arrangement, or by the same performer who wishes some change during a long performance to help relieve fatigue.
It would be advantageous to provide a seat having an adjustable firmness level. It would be further advantageous to provide such an adjustable firmness level through the use of an inflatable bladder located in the seat cushion. It would also be advantageous to provide for cooling or heating of the seat cushion.
The present invention provides the foregoing and other advantages.